Message of the Week
- Apr 27
- 5 min read
The Little White Community Church
Scripture: II Thess. 3: 1-5 & 3:16-18 May 3, 2026
Message: “Prayer Requests, still Valuable in the Present!”
by Pastor George Gnade
Introduction:
1. Today we are finishing our study of II Thessalonians. In chapter three, Paul begins the chapter asking for prayer for himself, while also offering prayer for them.
a. Then there is a long section encouraging them to work for a living and not expect others to take care of them. But don’t misunderstand what Paul is saying.
b. We should help those with a real need. But these Christians expected Jesus to return any minute and simply stopped working while they waited for Him.
c. While it is true Jesus could return any time, we are expected to work and provide for our families, assuming we can, because no one knows the day Jesus will return. So we need to work as if He was not going to return while still being spiritually prepared if He does.
2. Following that long section, Paul finishes His letter with a few more prayer requests and personal comments. Since we already discussed the long section about work in a previous sermon, today we are simply going to consider the prayer requests and personal comments found in our Scripture reading for today.
A. Let us begin with vs. 1-5. Paul begins this chapter by asking for prayer for himself and his helpers.
1. In II Thess. 3:1, he wrote: “Finally brethren, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.”
a. Paul’s work for the Lord was far from over. He had many other places and people whom He wanted to reach with the gospel. He begs them to pray for him as he continues his work.
b. He asks for prayer that those who hear will respond eagerly, just as the Thessalonians did.
2. In the same way, please pray that Pastor Alan Wilmarth and myself will be mightily used of God, not just on Sunday morning, but even during the week. The Lord’s work is never done.
3. Nor should this prayer request be selfish. We all should pray for other pastors and other churches, even those overseas, that the gospel will be well-received and advance as it is preached.
B. Secondly, in vs. 2, Paul asks for prayer for himself and his co-workers, that they “be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.”
1. In plain words, there are many people who would resist and stop us from sharing Christ, if they could.
a. In the Lord’s prayer that we pray at the beginning of each service, Jesus taught us to pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth just as it is in heaven… and keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil.”
b. That last phrase: “Deliver us from evil” could also be translated: “Deliver us from the evil one.”
2. Since the day Cain killed Abel, evil men have always tried to stop God’s work in our world. So Paul asks us to pray for the protection of those who share God’s Word
a. In II Thess. 3:3, it says: “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
b. It is interesting how Paul switches from himself and his co-workers to them and their need for protection.
c. So obviously, as you pray for us who are leading you, Paul is encouraging you to pray for yourselves as well as you do your best to follow the Lord. Satan will try to stop you just as he will try to stop us who lead you.
C. Thirdly, Paul expresses his confidence in them “that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.”
1. Paul, as an apostle, was speaking for God. He was actually writing the Scriptures as he wrote this letter.
a. So he had every right to ask them to do as he commanded them.
b. As Pastors, we are to do our best to teach you what the Scriptures say. And when we share what is the obvious meaning of the text, God expects you to also listen and obey as God speaks to your heart.
2. And then Paul closes this section by adding: “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”
a. Notice this is also a prayer. This time Paul prays that our knowledge of the gospel and the love of God for us will motivate us to do our best for Him.
b. But Paul also directs our thoughts to the “perseverance of Christ”(II Thess. 3:5) as He overcame all the opposition against Him and refused to turn back until He finished what God the Father wanted Him to do by dying on the cross for us.
3. We talked about this last week, how God wants us to persevere in spite of hardship and temptation.
a. But this is the only verse in the Bible that actually uses the phrase “the perseverance of Christ” as a wonderful example of what Jesus wants us to do as we seek to live the way He lived.
b. So he prayed that God’s love and Christ’s perseverance would motivate us to stay on track in our walk with the Lord.
D. At this time, we will move ahead to II Thess. 3: 16-18. Once again Paul puts his comments in the form of a prayer for them.
1. Prayers for the people we are serving often take the form of this prayer. We call them benedictions and are often used to close a worship service.
a. In II Thess. 3:16, Paul prays: “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.
Yes, may the Lord be with all of you!”
b. As we live our busy, complicated lives, many of us struggle to find peace. That was certainly true for the people in Thessalonica who were being persecuted.
2. I like the way Paul worded it: “At all times and in every way.” That allows us to put our own troubles in the verse and still claim this peace for ourselves.
3. Paul then takes this opportunity to send his greetings and writes it in his own handwriting. Because of poor eyesight, he usually had a scribe write his letters for him, but then finishes his letter by writing the greeting. It was his way of making his letters personal.
4. Finally, he closes this letter with another benediction that pastors like to use. “Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
a. We must never forget that we have been saved by grace and should always offer God’s grace to those around us. “Grace” stands for everything the Lord has done for us that we don’t deserve.
b. Therefore, let us remember to offer it to those around us. Leave the rest up to God. Amen!
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